Chapter 26 – New beginnings
„Alright, so what can you do with that wand of yours?" Catherine asked gently and pushed another cup of tea infront of Draco who was sitting behind her table. Again.
„Well…" he had to think it through. What can he do? Hex someone? Yes he could have done that. But that would not bring him any money. Charms? He doubted that. What usefull things he learned in Hogwarts anyway? Goblin Rebelions…crap. Unless he wanted to end up like professor Binns and being dead and boring wasn't the right option. Transfiguration. Great so he knew how to turn a goblet into a parrot but that wouldn't bring him fortune. Not unless he was willing to run from town to town earning money as some country fair magician and sooner or later that would brought him to Azkaban for breaking magical law among muggles.
Divination…seriously can someone live while making out horoscopes? He doubted that.
„Draco?" Catherine's voice broke his thoughts.
„I really don't know." He said helplessly. It was true. Seeing how the real world worked he was lost. He always relied on the family money to get what he wanted. The thought of earning them never even once crossed his mind.
„Well you better think about something. The world is out there and you can't sit at home all the time doing nothing. That will bring you no good. If you can't think of any work you can do as wizard why don't you try something else?"
„Such as?" he asked archly. Yes Catherine was only trying to help him but what was he supposed to do? Go around Muggle shops and ask to be hired?
„My brother's got a shop near here. I will call him and see if he can do something for you."
„You will…wait a sec why are you helping me anyway?" He was suspicious. He was Slytherine after all and he knew better than to expect people to go around offering him help and not wanting something for it.
„For a thousand time Draco I am helping you because you need help and because I know your Aunt and I knew Sirius. Honestly where did you grow up? It's normal for people to help others…" Catherine briskly walked out of the room.
„Normal for you maybe." Draco muttered under his breath and took a large sip from the cup.
Working in a muggle shop? Well why not. But she did not tell him what that brother of hers or whatever sold. Well it can't be worse than this.
„Alright Mark said he's got something for you. Grab your jacket."
„What? We are going now?"
„No use in waiting around. And he doesn't know anything about you wizards. So don't show off infront of him." She smiled. And that smile washed away all his worries. If Catherine said something was alright then it was.
Draco was really envious of other people. Could it be that in every family people were nice to each other? It never worked in his.
„Alright. And by the way. What does your brother sell?"
„You'll see." Catherine replied with half grinn which made him nervous again.
(~O~)
„Hey Pete get here!"
„Pete's not comming boss."
„Whaddaya mean he's not comming? I've got job for him."
„He's got another job. And so does everybody else."
„WHAT?"
„You see. We've met this man and he gave us money and now we're working for him. He also said that he don't want you to run this warehouse anymore."
„And what are you planning to do?" the burly and bald man asked his gun pointed at his former employee. „Kill me? I don't think so." He said with wide smile.
„Accio gun."
He felt the cold surface of his pistol slipping from his fingers. As if some invisible force draged it from him. And to his surprise it ended in Pete's outstretched hand.
„Surprise boss…"
„How..what?" but before he could ask anymore questions he heard another voice.
„Good job gentleman. Let me handle this. Your weapon would only leave traces."
„And who the fuck are you?" Boss asked. He was outnumbered and unarmed but he could still feel the courage bubbling through his chest. He was always like that. Ever since he was a little boy and his father was teaching him how to survive on the streets.
„Alerio Griffith. Not that it matters to you anyway."
The strange man only slipped his hand into his pocked and drew a thin piece of wood.
„You want to stab me with it or what?"
„Goodbye Mr. Perkins. And sweet dreams."
The swiss of something heavy flying through air hit him right in the moment when his vision was engulfed in bright green light. And that was the last thing Boss ever felt or saw.
„Clean the mess and report with the rest of your men in the warehouse Mr. Gray."
„Yes sir." Pete answered perhaps too hastily. But on the other hand he just saw his new employer kill a man with nothing but the piece of wood. That made him grin. If he do everything right he will get more magic. And more power.
„You heard Mr. Griffith. Get to work." Pete shouted at his men.
„At once Boss!"
(~O~)
"I've never heard of anyone apparating without wand." Neville said after a while. They were sitting in a nice restaurant in some street he's never seen before. It was muggle restaurant but that only made him more curious.
"Why this place?"
"I don't know. I think I've seen it somewhere." Hermione frowed her eyebrows and sipped from her ice-coffee.
She looked so adorably when she pulled the face like this. It was this face which made him stay in the library until the curfew watching her hidden behind bookshelves.
Her hand was placed on the table, almost invitingly. Maybe she wants me to touch her? His fingers twitched under the table cloth.
What if I reach her and she flinch away? But maybe…
"Neville?"
That made him almost jump up. He looked in her direction and saw her smiling at him.
"Yes?" he felt his heart pounding heavily in his chest but despite that he managed to free one hand and place it on the table oposite hers. She's got such pretty hand. With long fingers and …
"I really like you." He heard her almost whispering those words. Touch her. Touch her already! His mind was clearly screaming at him.
He moved his fingers, slowly they dragged their way towards her hand. That smile could melt his heart and it did.
"I.." but before he could say anything else the entire restaurant seemed to shake in four loud pops splitting the air.
"Don't move!" the unfamiliar voice yelled at him and he was pushed to the ground by some invisible force.
"HERMIONE ARE YOU ALRIGHT?" that was Ron's voice? He couldn't see what was happening.
"Hermione thank god you are alright." That voice definitely belonged to Harry.
"Don't just stand here. Take her home. Harry you will help me with the muggles and with him." That voice was clear and completely unfamiliar.
He couldn't breath. The invisible force which was pushing him to the ground seemed to break his chest. He could hear chatter of terrified people and swishing of spells. Soon the whole place was silent. Apparently Harry and whoever was with him managed to Obliviate all of the guests. That meant only one thing they will bring him with them.
"Stand up." The same cold voice said next to him and the heavy force was lifted from him enough to allow him to stand.
"Neville?" Ginny yelled and he looked at her. Nothing changed. She looked exactly the same as he remembered her from Hogwarts.
"You know him?" he shifted his head and saw some woman with blond hair, nice face and wand pointed at his heart.
"He is from Gryffindor. Aurora he is our friend." Harry snapped and reached out with his hand to force this Aurora person to lower her wand.
"Friend or not, he was here with Ms. Granger and unless he's got some bloody good explanation we are taking him with us."
He could feel cold fingers tightly gripping around his wrist and in the next minute he stood on the doorstep of some strange and unfamiliar house.
"After you three." Aurora said and Neville noticed that she was securely holding his own wand in her left hand and still poining her own at him.
They entered long and dark hallway and he followed Ginny. Her red hair shinning like beacon in the dim lights of this old building.
"Where are we?" he managed to ask.
"Grimmaud's place." Ginny answered his question just as they entered what looked like kitchen.
"Neville who are these people?" Hermione asked a note of panic clearly audible in her voice and he felt her hand slipping into his own.
How was he supposed to explain this? That Hermione lost her memorey and he found her? They would not belive him. If that happened he would have had informed them. How long was she in the Manor? Two weeks? He wasn't sure.
"Neville what's going on?" Harry asked from behind the table and Neville felt all the eyes staring at him. All except Ron's. He was pale and his eyes firmly locked at his and Hermione's hand.
"All of calm down. You two…" Aurora said clearly her voice devoit of any previous kindness. This was bussiness at hand. She pointed her finger at Ron and Harry "..You two watch over them. Don't let them do anything stupid." After their reluctant nods she turned her attention to Ginny.
"Ginny floo Minerva McGonagall and ask her to come here immediately."
"And what about you?" Ron asked angrily still switching his gaze between Neville and Hermione.
"I will go get my friend from St. Mungo's and get him over here to examine the girl." Aurora replied not even slightly bothered by Ron's attitude.
(~O~)
They strode through narrow but sunny street. Small houses with neatly cut lawns and flower beds looked at them from both sides and Draco found himself relaxed and in good mood. The sun was shining but not in usual hot as hell manner and the air smelled after recent rain storm.
„My brother lives just at the end of the street." Catherine broke the pleasant silence and smiled. Again. That warm and kind smile of hers which brought peace into his soul peace and a very small stab of jealousy. He seriously wanted someone like her in his own family. Someone who would be there for him when he was little and scared or when he managed to produce some random spell and ran to his father who only scolded him over it. Never praised him.
„You know, I've never even thought it possible to work among Muggles.." Draco said after a while. „But it might be a good thing. I mean…I don't know.." he wasn't sure how to say this. So he stopped and looked around the nice neighborhood.
„What is it dear?" Catherine asked the gentle smile still on her face.
„All of this…all my life they were telling me that this is wrong. That people like you are bad and weak and that I should be ashamed to be among them. But…" he looked at that woman who has done for him more in those few past days than anyone from his family ever done for him during his entire life. „But I think I really am glad to be here and that there is nothing to be ashamed of." He finaly said.
She was silent. Just looking at him and then out of nowhere she just embraced him in one tight bear hug. He was never embraced like this before. Not even by his own mother. It felt..good actually.
„Let's just go see Mark dear." Catherine said after a while. And they went. They followed the street down and just behind the corner was small shop with big sign „ Meer's Animal Paradise"
„A pet store?" Draco blinked and looked at the sign again.
„Isn't it nice?" Catherine smiled and Draco wasn't sure if he imagined it or if she had some slight mischievious glint in her eyes.
„But I don't know anything about animals I mean we had some classes about animals in school but those were magical animals…" He felt panic rising in his chest again. But then again if he walked home and told aunt Bella that he managed to actually get some job it might smooth her mood.
„Well if you got better offer…" Catherine folded her hands on her chest but the triumfant smile did not vanish from her face.
„Alright." Draco said defensively and followed her into small but ligtly lit store cramped with cages, aquariums and terrariums filled with all kinds of animals. He just got to the counter when something heavy pressed against his back which made him almost fall down on the floor. Right after he regained his ballance and turned around he stared into face of the largest and whitest dog he ever saw.
„Ah don't mind her. She's just saying hello." A rapsy voice said from the counter. „I'm Mark. Cath told me you're looking for job."
„Erm yes sir." Draco replied politely and tried to ignore the dog who just started to lick his hand.
„Please just Mark. I am no sir." Mark laughed and nodded him over. „Have you ever worked in pet store?"
„Well no..not really." Draco replied honestly and patted the white bear-dog on the head.
„She likes you." Mark smiled and scratched dog's ears. „That's Angel."
„Uhm nice to meet you too Angel?"
„Well son. I see you like animals and Angel likes you. Looks like we're be getting together just fine. Grab the T-shirt from the back and I'll show you around." Mark thundered in his low voice.
„Be good." Catherine laughed and turned around to the doors. „And be sure to come for a dinner. All of you." She added and walked out.
(~O~)
„Professor?" Ginny called from emerald flames and her voice echoed through the small kitchen. She waited, but what if McGonagall is not here? Her mind was spinning with all of the questions, why was Hermione with Neville and in that town? And she seemed not to remember them. And if Neville found her why didn't he let them know?
„Ms. Weasley?" Professor's voice interupted her thoughts and she stepped out of the flames.
„Professor, Aurora told me to get you, we've found Hermione but she's strange and I don't really know what happened." Ginny just blurred everything out and waited with outstretched hand, ready to throw another dose of floo powder into the fireplace.
„That's good news. Please go ahead and I will be at Grimmaud's in a few minutes."
„Erm ok." Ginny was a little taken aback. It was an emergency and McGonagall seemed unconcerned and why doesn't she leave immediately. But all she could see was her professor's back as she exited the kitchen and left her former pupil standing behind.
She was tempted to just throw all the powder into the fireplace and leave, after all it wasn't her place to doubt her teacher but some tiny voice in her head made her stay a little bit longer, long enough to hear second voice from the room behind the kitchen doors.
Well I can always tell her something if caughed. Ginny smirked and silently walked to not entirely closed doors to listen.
„I am sorry, but it's an Emergency, they finaly found Hermione and from what Ginny told me there is something amiss with her." Ginny could hear McGonagall's voice as clearly as if she was standing right beside her. It made her a little bit uncomfortable but remembering all the adventures she experienced in Hogwarts her Gryffindor heart made her stay.
„Whatever Minerva…I'll just go home then." Second female voice answered. She was quite sure she heard it somewhere but could not match it with a right face. But then McGonagall spoke again and Ginny had to hold her breath not to yelp in surprise.
„Bella….I am sorry but hopefully it won't take whole evening."
Bella? As if Bellatrix? What is she doing here? And why is professor speaking with her in that normal manner? Even appologizing her when she should be on her way to see Hermione.
„If you manage to ditch those kids earlier let me know." Bellatrix's voice spoke again and Ginny heard muffled thut of closing doors.
She was right back at the fireplace in two long jumps and swirling emerald flames consumed her body just in time before her former professor entered kitchen.
She has to tell it to someone, but not now, Ron and Harry have enough problems with Hermione right now. She exited the fireplace and walked briskly back to the kitchen. Hermione was sitting at the table with both boys guarding her every move and Neville just stood in the same corner he was when she left, not moving and not speaking.
„Any word from McGonagall?" Harry asked finally.
„She's on her way. Aurora is still gone?"
„Nope. She's upstairs getting some books. We are waiting for that healer from St. Mungo's." Ron answered a little bit dully and shot angry look at Neville.
With heavy sigh Ginny walked around the table and sat oposite Hermione. This will be a long evening.
A/N: Sorry for such a long wait but too much work and I've got only two days of leave. Next update will be sometimes at the end of January. Well at least I hope so. Merry Christmas (or other Holidays) to all. And Happy New Year.
